In 1206, a new state was formed from the united Mongol tribes in Central Asia. The gathered leaders of the groups proclaimed the most warlike representative of theirs, Khan Temujin (Genghis Khan), thanks to whom the Mongol power declared itself to the whole world. Acting as a relatively small army, it carried out its expansion in several directions at once. The most powerful blows of bloody terror fell on the lands of China and Central Asia. The conquests of the Mongols of these territories, according to written sources, had a total character of destruction, although such data were not confirmed by archeology.
Mongol Empire
Six months after the accession to Kurultai (the congress of the nobility), the Mongol ruler Genghis Khan began to plan a large-scale military campaign, the ultimate goal of which was to conquer China. Preparing for his first campaigns, he carries out a series of military reforms, strengthening and strengthening the country from the inside. The Mongol khan understood that successful wars needed strong rear areas, a strong organization, and a protected central authority. He establishes a new state structure and proclaims a single code of laws, abolishing the old tribal customs. The entire management system has become a powerful tool for maintaining the obedience of the exploited masses and contributing to the conquest of other peoples.
A young Mongolian power with an effective managerial hierarchy and highly organized army was significantly different from the steppe state formations of its time. The Mongols believed in their chosenness, whose mission was the unification of the whole world under the rule of their ruler. Therefore, the main feature of the conquest policy was the extermination of rebellious peoples in the occupied territories.
First campaigns: Tangut state
The conquest of China by the Mongols took place in several stages. The Tangut state of Si Xia was the first serious target of the Mongol army, since Genghis Khan believed that without his subjugation, further attacks on China would be meaningless. The invasions of the Tangut lands in 1207 and 1209 were carefully designed operations, where the khan himself was present on the battlefields. They did not bring proper success, the confrontation ended with the conclusion of a peace agreement obliging the Tanguts to pay tribute to the Mongols. But in 1227, under the next onslaught of Genghis Khan’s troops, Si Xia’s state fell.
In 1207, the Mongol troops under the leadership of Jochi (the son of Genghis Khan) were also sent north to conquer the tribes of the Buryats, tubas, Oirats, barchuns, ursuts and others. In 1208, they were joined by the Uyghurs in East Turkestan, and years later the Yenisei Kyrgyz and Dwarves obeyed.
Conquest of the Jin Empire (North China)
In September 1211, the 100,000th army of Genghis Khan began the conquest of northern China. The Mongols, using the enemy’s weaknesses, managed to capture several large cities. And after crossing the Great Wall, they inflicted a crushing defeat on the regular forces of the Jin Empire. The path to the capital was open, but the Mongol khan, sensibly assessing the capabilities of his army, did not immediately attack her. For several years, the nomads beat the enemy in parts, entering the battle only in open spaces. By 1215, a significant part of the Jin lands was ruled by the Mongols, and the capital of Zhongda was plundered and burned. Emperor Jin, trying to save the state from ruin, went to a humiliating agreement, which briefly delayed his death. In 1234, the Mongol forces, together with the Chinese of Song, finally defeated the empire.
The initial expansion of the Mongols was carried out with particular cruelty and, as a result, Northern China remained practically in ruins.
The Conquest of Central Asia
After the first conquests of China, the Mongols, using intelligence, began to carefully prepare their next military campaign. In the fall of 1219, the 200,000th army moved to Central Asia, a year earlier successfully capturing East Turkestan and Semirechye. The pretext for the outbreak of hostilities was the provoked attack on the Mongolian caravan in the border town of Otrar. The invading army acted according to a clearly constructed plan. One column went to the siege of Otrar, the second - through the Kyzyl-Kum desert, moved to Khorezm, a small detachment of the best soldiers was sent to Khojent, and Genghis Khan himself headed for Bukhara with the main troops.
The state of Khorezm, the largest in Central Asia, had military forces not inferior to the Mongols, but its ruler was unable to organize a single resistance to the invaders and fled to Iran. As a result, a disparate army held to a defensive position, and each city was forced to fight for itself. Often there was a betrayal of the feudal elite, conspiring with enemies and acting in its narrow interests. But ordinary people fought to the last. The selfless battles of some Asian settlements and cities, such as Khojent, Khorezm, Merv went down in history and became famous for their heroes-participants.
The conquest of the Mongols of Central Asia, like China, was swift, and was completed by the spring of 1221. The outcome of the struggle led to dramatic changes in the economic and state-political development of the region.
Consequences of the invasion of Central Asia
The Mongol invasion was a huge disaster for the peoples living in Central Asia. Within three years, the aggressor forces destroyed and wiped out a large number of villages and large cities, among which were Samarkand and Urgench. The once rich regions of Semirechye were turned into desolate places. The entire irrigation system, which took several centuries to form, was completely destroyed, the oases were trampled and abandoned. The cultural and scientific life of Central Asia suffered irreparable losses.
On the conquered lands, the invaders introduced a strict regime of requisitions. The population of the resisting cities was completely slaughtered or sold into slavery. Only artisans could be saved from inevitable reprisals, who were sent to captivity. The conquest of the Central Asian states became the bloodiest page in the history of the Mongol conquests.
Capture of Iran
Following China and Central Asia, the conquest of the Mongols in Iran and Transcaucasia became one of the next steps. In 1221, horse detachments under the command of Jebe and Subedai, having circled the Caspian Sea from the south, walked in a tornado through the northern Iranian regions. In pursuit of the fugitive ruler of Khorezm, they subjected the Khorasan province to severe blows, leaving behind many burned settlements. The city of Nishapur was taken by storm, and its population, driven into the field, was completely destroyed. Residents of Gilan, Qazvin, Hamadan fought fiercely with the Mongols.
In the 30s and 40s of the 13th century, the Mongols pounced on to conquer Iranian lands, only the northwestern regions where the Ismailis ruled remained independent. But in 1256 their state fell, in February 1258 Baghdad was taken.
Hike to Dali
By the middle of the XIII century, in parallel with the battles in the Middle East, the conquest of China did not stop. The Mongols planned to make the Dali state a platform for a further blow to the Song empire (southern China). They prepared the trip with special care, given the difficult mountainous terrain.
The offensive on Dali began in the fall of 1253 under the leadership of Khubilai, the grandson of Genghis Khan. Having sent ambassadors first, he suggested that the ruler of the state surrender without a fight and submit to him. But by order of the Chief Minister Gao Taishian, who actually ruled over the country's affairs, the Mongolian ambassadors were executed. The main battle took place on the Jinshajiang River, where the Dali army was defeated and significantly lost in its composition. Nomads entered the capital without much resistance.
South China: Song Empire
The Mongol wars of conquest in China lasted seven decades. It was South Song that managed to survive the longest against the Mongol invasion, entering into various agreements with the nomads. The military clashes of the former allies began to activate in 1235. The Mongol army, having met fierce resistance from the South Chinese cities, could not achieve much success. After which there was a relative lull for some time.
In 1267, numerous Mongol troops again led to the south of China under the leadership of Khubilai, who set himself the business of the principle of conquering the Sun. He did not succeed in lightning fast: for five years the heroic defense of the cities of Sanyang and Fancheng was held. The final battle took place only in 1275 at Dingjiazhzhou, where the army of the Song Empire lost and was almost defeated. A year later, the capital of Linan was captured. The last resistance in the Yaishan region was defeated in 1279, which was the final date of the conquest of China by the Mongols. The Song Dynasty has fallen.
Reasons for the success of the Mongol conquests
The win-win campaigns of the Mongolian army for a long time tried to explain its numerical superiority. However, this statement, due to documentary evidence, is highly controversial. First of all, explaining the success of the Mongols, historians take into account the personality of Genghis Khan, the first ruler of the Mongol Empire. It was the qualities of his character, coupled with talents and abilities, that showed the world an unsurpassed commander.
Another reason for the Mongol victories is the thoroughly elaborated military campaigns. A thorough reconnaissance was carried out, intrigues were trailing in the camp of the enemy, weaknesses were sought out. Capture tactics were perfected to perfection. An important role was also played by the combat professionalism of the troops themselves, their clear organization and discipline. But the main reason for the success of the Mongols in the conquest of China and Central Asia was an external factor: the fragmentation of states, weakened by internal political turmoil.
Interesting Facts
- In the XII century, according to the Chinese chronicle tradition, the Mongols were called "Tatars", the concept was identical to the European "barbarians". You should know that modern Tatars are not connected with this people.
- The exact year of birth of the Mongol ruler Genghis Khan is unknown, various dates are mentioned in the annals.
- The conquests of the Mongols of China and Central Asia did not stop the development of trade relations between the peoples that merged into the empire.
- In 1219, the Central Asian city of Otrar (southern Kazakhstan) held back the Mongol siege for six months, after which it was taken as a result of treason.
- The Mongol Empire, as a single state, lasted until 1260, then it fell apart into independent uluses.